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Fire Safety and Education

The Dryden Fire Service helps raise public awareness about fire and life safety in the community. Education programs also include accident and injury prevention. Dryden Fire Service also offers a variety of smoke, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and combination smoke and CO alarms available for purchase.

Choose a topic below to learn about safety regulations, safety tips and places to find more information.

Smoke alarms

Every home must have working smoke alarms on every level of their home and outside all sleeping areas - it's the law. Smoke alarms provide you and your family with early warning and enough time to leave your home when there's a fire. A large portion of fire deaths in the home occur at night, while sleeping.

Since smoke rises, install smoke alarms on the ceiling or high on the wall. Avoid placing them close to bathrooms, heating appliances, windows or fans. For more protection, install alarms inside bedrooms.

Homeowners must install and maintain smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Landlords must also comply with the same law as homeowners, installing and maintaining smoke alarms for their tenants. Tenants must contact their landlord if they do not have the required smoke alarms. It is against the law for a tenant to disable a smoke alarm.

Smoke alarm safety checklist

Stay safe by following our smoke alarm safety checklist:

Test smoke alarms monthly.

Change the batteries at least once per year.

Gently vacuum once a year with soft brush.

Replace smoke alarm when they exceed the recommended life cycle (10 years). Replace an alarm earlier if it is not working correctly or damaged.

Carbon monoxide alarms

It's the law to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms next to all sleeping areas if your home has:

Quick facts about carbon monoxide

Any device that burns fuels can produce CO gas, including stoves, fireplaces, generators and engines.

Exposure to CO gas can cause flu symptoms.

At high levels, CO gas can cause loss of consciousness or death.

Fire safety planning

A building's Fire Safety Plan includes information related to building construction and fire safety equipment. It also includes fire safety information and fire emergency procedures for the occupants in the building.

It is the building owner's responsibility to ensure that the Fire Safety Plan has been prepared and that it is implemented in the building. Fire Safety Plans must be reviewed at least every 12 months.

Fire Safety Plans are required for buildings that contain one of the following:

an assembly occupancy;

a care occupancy;

a care and treatment occupancy;

a detention occupancy;

a residential occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 10 people;

a retirement home;

a business and personal service occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300;

a mercantile occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300;

a high hazard occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 25;

a medium hazard occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 100; or

a low hazard occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300.

The Fire Prevention Officer or Fire Chief can also order a Fire Safety Plan for a building if it does not meet any of the above requirements, if they believe a Fire Safety Plan would improve fire safety for the building.

Submit a hard copy of your plan in person or by mail to: Dryden Fire Service 189 Colonization Avenue Dryden, ON P8N 2M6

Fire extinguisher training

Remember that if it's an emergency, dial 9-1-1 immediately.

Use an extinguisher only if:

The fire is small, confined, and not spreading.

Everyone else has left or is leaving the building.

The fire department has been called.

You can fight the fire with your back to a safe escape route.

The extinguisher matches the type of fire.

You know how to operate the extinguisher.

Do not fight fire under any other circumstance. Leave the building immediately, close the door behind you and call 9-1-1.

Dryden Fire Services provides hands-on fire extinguisher training upon request to industry, workplace or community groups for a fee. To book fire extinguisher training contact us by phone at 807-223-1178 or by email.

Fireworks

There are federal rules and regulations related to fireworks use. These laws include regulations for the sale, usage, and storage of fireworks, as well as a mandate for absolute safety. The Dryden Fire Service suggests leaving fireworks to the professionals, but if you're planning to use fireworks at home, please view our Fireworks Safety Tip Sheet.

Dryden Fire Service provides education programs to inform the community about fire safety and prevention.

Fire hall tours and truck visits

The Dryden Fire Service offers hall tours to schools and community groups. The tours provide fire safety information, an introduction to fire trucks and equipment and fun activities. To schedule a tour or request a fire truck for an upcoming community event, please contact us at 807-223-1178 or by email.

Fire Prevention Week

Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week happens Sunday through Saturday during the week that includes October 9. Fire Prevention Week encourages people to learn about fire safety and prevention.

During Fire Prevention Week, the Dryden Fire service hosts an Open House. The Fire Prevention Officer spends the week visiting area schools teaching children about preventing fires and staying safe.

Fire Prevention Week 2018 will be October 7 to 13.

Fire Safety House

The Kenora District Fire Mutual Aid Association (KDFMAA), with the support of some amazing sponsors, has purchased a Fire Safety House that includes interactive displays and safety messaging. This public education resource is available for district-wide use.

The Fire Safety House is a full-sized inflatable house with interactive stations inside for children to tour and learn about fire safety in their own home.